The Zoroastrian must wear a shirt and a belt both day and night until death, never removed except for washing. Both men and women wear the sacred shirt, ‘sudrah’ and the girdle, ‘kusti’. The shirt is white, collarless, knee-length and loose fitting. A small pocket in the centre of the bodice is the symbolic repository for the wearer’s good thoughts, good words and good deeds. The sacred belt worn by a Zoroastrian is wrapped three times round the waist and indicates that the wearer is ready to follow Zoroaster. The ceremony for induction to the religion is an ancient Aryan tradition, which predates the age of Zoroaster. The rite of initiation (Naujote) is the child’s second birth, indicating that the child has entered the Zoroastrian mansion. Between the ages of 7-9, every Parsi child is initiated in a ceremony conferring upon him the sudrah and kusti. This resembles the Inca ceremony marking the male child’s entry into manhood, when his waist is bound with a sash for the first time.
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The representation of the sacred fire, the Prophet Zoroaster and Ahura Mazda, at the two sides of the hearth in the wall of the Parsee temple in Kolkata. |
There was no religious restriction on their enjoyment of material goods. Zoroastrianism does not accept the practice of fasting, nor does it hold with celibacy. The fact that Ahura Mazda shows greater favour toward learned persons and married couples with children is made clear in the Vendidad or Videvdat. Iran’s Zoroastrian marriage ceremonies were held during hours of daylight, but were moved to immediately after sunset in India. Parsi marriage vows are repeated three times by the priest conducting the service, originally spoken in the Pahlavi language. However, because of the pledge to use a language Indians understood, the vows are repeated in Sanscrit. The custom of the bridegroom paying a dowry to the bride’s family is still extant. They are not permitted to marry anyone outside their own religion. They forbad the ancient practice of child marriage, and their own women are not segregated. Inside the temple or at any religious ceremony, males wear a small skullcap. Priesthood is hereditary and priests dress entirely in white, including a white turban. They should recite certain prayers five times a day – at dawn, midday, in the afternoon, at sunset and midnight. In the religious ceremonies, the seven immortals, which are: sky, water, the earth, plants, cattle, human beings and fire, are represented by symbols. The Yasna, which is a recital of a sacred text, is the holiest ceremony in the ritual, and haoma, – sacred liquor – is offered before the holy fire, which burns with an eternal flame and is held in great veneration.
Zoroastrianism is tolerant of all other religions. The Zoroastrian religion recognises and respects all the holy men and women of other faiths.
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The human-headed Ahura Mazda (the Wise Lord), points with one hand to the true path while the other holds the ring of power. The sphere at the base of the body represents the universe, and the two feet emerging from the body symbolise dualism. The open wings stretched out on either side of the body are always in three layers, which represent the three orders of good thoughts, good words and good deeds. The whole image represents the essence of God, which resides in each individual. Iran – Persepolis |
Zoroastrianism has exerted a great influence on all monotheologies and also on Buddhism, through its concepts of angels, Satan, Heaven and Hell, the coming of a Saviour, the conflict on earth between good and evil ending with a final judgment and Doomsday, resurrection and life after death. Zoroastrians were the first to divide the day into five for the purpose of prayer, as is done in Islam. Confession of committed sins as practiced in the Catholic Church was an integral part of Zoroastrian faith. The Incas, conceived the Other World as the Land of the Mute, to which all the souls of the dead travelled, and to get there had to cross a river over which there is thought to be a bridge made of strands of hair.
At the present moment, the Zoroastrian population in Iran is estimated at approximately 10.000. In the last century, Shah Riza Pahlavi had begun to restore the lost rights of Zoroastrians, and had either withdrawn or mitigated most of the regulations which had restricted them. During this period, Zoroastrians enjoyed almost equal rights with Muslims and even military appointments were opened up to them. After the Islamic Revolution, 270 seats in Parliament were held by Islamic leaders and experts, and also one seat each was reserved for a member from the Jewish and from the Zoroastrian communities and two seats for Armenian Christians. The Zoroastrians of Iran still see themselves as the authentic, unadulterated Persians. In India, Parsees are influential in politics and in the country’s economy.
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